Sports Media News

Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases

Archives for January 2022

ACC Network to Exclusively Carry All 14 ACC Spring Football Games

By

ACC Network (ACCN), the 24/7 national platform dedicated to ACC sports, is the exclusive home for ACC football’s slate of spring games throughout March and April.

The post ACC Network to Exclusively Carry All 14 ACC Spring Football Games appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

NBCUNIVERSAL ENHANCES ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE 2022 WINTER OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES

By

NBCU to Offer Closed Captioning, Audio Description, and Web Content Accessibility Throughout this Winter’s Olympic and Paralympic Games

Closed Captioning to be Provided for All Digital Livestreams

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 31, 2022 – NBCUniversal’s Winter Games coverage will be more accessible to viewers of all abilities than ever before, providing the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Beijing 2022 through closed captioning, audio description, and digital content accessibility. As previously announced, NBCU will present a Winter Olympics-record 2,800+ hours of coverage across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, CNBC, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app from February 2-20.

In addition to providing closed captioning for all Olympic and Paralympic events airing across NBCU’s broadcast and cable networks, NBC Olympics will provide closed captioning for all digital livestreams – which was made available in full for the first time ever during last summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. Closed captioning provides text of the coverage audio for viewers who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

Audio description services, in which broadcast audio is interspersed with skilled voices describing Olympic and Paralympic scenes and context, will be available for viewers who are blind or visually impaired. For the Olympic Winter Games, all competitions aired during primetime hours and Prime Plus, along with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, will include live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel, provided by Descriptive Video Works. For the Paralympic Games, NBC Sports will provide live audio description for all broadcast programming, including those aired outside primetime hours, as well as on all simulstreams.

Viewers can use #NBCOlympicsA11y and #NBCParalympicsA11y on social media to share with others or provide feedback on closed captioning or audio description to NBCUniversal.

Additionally, improved web content accessibility, including keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers, will be available on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app.

“Ensuring that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are available to be enjoyed by the widest possible U.S. audience is core to our mission,” said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. “For our coverage of the Beijing Games, providing an unprecedented number of hours of accessibility for a Winter Olympics is another important step in accomplishing that goal.”

All of this audio description and closed captioning will be available to Comcast Xfinity customers who experience the Games on the Xfinity X1 platform, including on the live Olympic Games coverage delivered in 4K, on Xfinity Stream, and on Xfinity Flex.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are an opportunity for us all to be inspired by the extraordinary achievements of the world’s best athletes,” said Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President of Accessibility at Comcast. “It is an honor to partner with our colleagues at NBC Olympics to deliver our most inclusive Olympic and Paralympic viewing experience ever, and to share those stories of resilience and sportsmanship with the widest possible audience.”

NBCUniversal will provide coverage of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games from Feb. 2-20. The Opening Ceremony will be presented on Friday, Feb. 4, live in the morning and again in primetime on NBC and Peacock. Similar to recent Winter Games, NBC’s primetime Olympic coverage begins the night before the Opening Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 3. Coverage begins on Wednesday, Feb. 2, on USA Network and Peacock. NBCUniversal is presenting its 18th Olympic Games, 12th consecutive overall, and sixth straight Winter Games, all the most by any U.S. media company.

About NBC Olympics

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic & Paralympic Games. NBC Olympics is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2032. NBC Olympics also produces thousands of hours of Olympic & Paralympic sports programming throughout the year, which is presented on NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms.

–NBC OLYMPICS—

THE WINTER OLYMPICS BEGIN THIS WEEK — 84 COMMENTATORS JOIN NBC OLYMPICS’ COVERAGE OF THE XXIV OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

By

NBC Talent Roster Has Won 40 Olympic Medals Including 18 Gold

Mike Tirico to Host NBC Primetime Show from Beijing and Los Angeles

Tirico and NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie to Host Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 4 on NBC and Peacock

Craig Melvin of NBC News to Host Middle Weekend Coverage from Beijing

Andy Browne and Jing Tsu, Longtime Experts on Chinese and East Asian Culture and International Affairs, to Contribute to Opening Ceremony Coverage

Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics is Friday, Feb. 4 on NBC & Peacock; Primetime Coverage on NBC Begins Thursday, Feb. 3

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 31, 2022 – The Winter Olympics begin this week, with Mike Tirico leading 84 NBC Olympics commentators as NBCUniversal presents more than 2,800 hours of coverage of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games from Beijing, China, across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, CNBC, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app.

The roster includes Olympians who have won a combined total of 40 Olympic medals, including 18 gold medals. Team NBC would have finished first in the PyeongChang medal count.

The overall talent lineup features the return of many of the network’s signature Olympic hosts, play-by-play commentators and analysts with Olympic experience.

NBC Olympics commentator notes:

    • Mike Tirico serves as NBC Olympics’ primetime host for the third time, after hosting primetime coverage at the Tokyo Olympics last summer and the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. He will also host Prime Plus late-night coverage for the first week. NBC News’ Craig Melvin will host TODAY from Beijing and will serve as NBC’s on-site host over the middle weekend of the Games. Maria Taylor, who made her NBC Olympics debut in Tokyo, will host Prime Plus in the Games’ second week. Rebecca Lowe will serve as the host of NBC’s daytime coverage, marking her fifth assignment as an NBC Olympics host. Ahmed Fareed, Jimmy Roberts, Lindsay Czarniak and Jac Collinsworth will host coverage on USA Network, Carolyn Manno will host coverage on CNBC, and Kathryn Tappen will serve as a host in the second week of coverage.

 

    • Among the Olympians on Team NBC: three-time medalist, including gold in the downhill at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, Lindsey Vonn; 1998 Olympic figure skating gold medalist Tara Lipinski; S. Olympic ice dance silver medalist Tanith White; bronze medalist figure skater Ashley Wagner; 1984 figure skating gold medalist Scott Hamilton; 1988 figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano; two-time alpine skiing Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety; 1998 moguls gold medalist Jonny Moseley; three-time Olympic snowboarding medalist Kelly Clark; 2014 bronze medalist in luge Erin Hamlin; gold-medal winning cross country skier Kikkan Randall; Kevin Martin, who skipped Team Canada to gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics; 2018 Olympic curling gold medalist Tyler George; two-time Olympic moguls medalist Hannah Kearney; two-time short track speed skating medalist Katherine Adamek; three-time ski jumping medalist Johnny Spillane; three-time speed skating medalist Joey Cheek, two-time snow cross gold medalist Seth Wescott, and 2010 Olympic bobsledder Bree Schaaf. Olympian hockey commentators include Monique Lamoureux-Morando, who won three Olympic medals, including a gold medal in 2018 with Team USA; two-time Team USA medalist AJ Mleczko; four-time Team USA medalist Angela Ruggiero; and 1984 Olympian Eddie Olczyk.

 

Team NBC total combined medals vs. top countries in 2018 PyeongChang Olympics:

  Total Medals Gold Medals
Team NBC* 40 18
Norway 39 14
Germany 31 14
Canada 29 11
United States 23 9
 

 

FOLLOWING IS A RUNDOWN OF NBC OLYMPICS’ ON-AIR & DIGITAL TEAM:

NBC, USA NETWORK & CNBC HOSTS:

    • MIKE TIRICO: In an unprecedented hosting double, Tirico will host the NBC Olympics primetime show in Beijing (beginning Thurs., Feb. 3) and Los Angeles, while also hosting the Super Bowl LVI pregame show from SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 13. The Beijing Olympics mark Tirico’s fourth assignment with NBC Olympics, having served as a daytime host on Copacabana Beach at the 2016 Rio Olympics and anchoring NBC Olympics’ primetime and late-night coverage of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games and Tokyo Olympics.
    • MARIA TAYLOR: Beginning in the second week, Taylor will host NBC Olympics’ late-night shows from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., marking her second Olympic assignment after making her Olympic debut in Tokyo. She will be working as a host for NBC Sports’ Super Bowl coverage during the first week of the Games.
    • CRAIG MELVIN: NBC News’ Melvin will serve as NBC’s on-site and Prime Plus host from Beijing in the middle weekend of the Olympics. Melvin, who will also host the TODAY show onsite from Beijing, previously served as a reporter for NBC Sports during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
    • REBECCA LOWE: Lowe serves as the daytime host for NBC Olympics’ coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics, her fifth assignment as an Olympics host after making her debut in Sochi in 2014. Previously, Lowe served as the daytime host for the Tokyo Olympics, anchored daytime coverage on NBC in PyeongChang in 2018 and in Rio in 2016, and was an NBCSN host for Sochi 2014.
    • AHMED FAREED: Fareed will handle his fourth assignment for NBC Olympics, hosting coverage on USA Network. Previously, Fareed anchored daytime on USA Network during the Tokyo Olympics, and hosted NBCSN coverage during PyeongChang 2018. He made his NBC Olympics debut as a USA Network host for Rio 2016.
    • JIMMY ROBERTS: A 13-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and writer, Roberts will serve as a host on USA Network, marking his 19th Olympic assignment and 11th for NBC. Roberts reported on stories at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics, and has reported on Bode Miller in Vancouver, changes to Wimbledon for the Olympics in London, the legacy of Russian hockey from Sochi, and the incredible story of refugee athletes in Rio.
    • LINDSAY CZARNIAK: Czarniak, who for last summer’s Tokyo Olympics co-hosted On Her Turf at the Olympics on Peacock — the first NBC Olympics show dedicated to covering women’s sports — will host coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics on USA Network. Czarniak was a host and sports desk reporter for NBC Olympics at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and served as a reporter at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
    • JAC COLLINSWORTH: Collinsworth will handle his third assignment for NBC Olympics, hosting coverage on USA Network. Collinsworth previously served as an on-location contributor to Peacock’s Tokyo Tonight show last summer, and in 2016, served as NBC Olympics’ first-ever social media correspondent at the Rio Olympics.
    • CAROLYN MANNO: Manno will serve as host of coverage on CNBC, marking her sixth NBC Olympics assignment, and fourth as a host. During the Tokyo Olympics, Manno hosted coverage on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA. Previously, Manno served as host for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics, was a freestyle skiing reporter at the 2014 Sochi Games, and was a reporter on a wide-ranging number of assignments at the 2012 London Olympics.
    • KATHRYN TAPPEN: Tappen, in her fifth NBC Olympics assignment will serve as a host during the second week of coverage. She will be working as a sideline reporter on NBC Sports’ Super Bowl LVI coverage during the first week of the Games.

 

PEACOCK COMMENTATORS: Peacock’s Winter Olympics coverage features host Matt Iseman with 1998 Olympic moguls gold medalist Jonny Moseley, host Adnan Virk, 1988 Olympic figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano, Olympic figure skating gold medalist Scott Hamilton, and 2014 Olympic bronze medalist in the team event and three-time U.S. figure skating champion Ashley Wagner.

OLYMPIC CORRESPONDENTS:

    • LINDSEY VONN: Vonn, the winningest woman in alpine skiing World Cup history who competed in four Winter Games, makes her NBC Olympics debut as a primetime correspondent at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Vonn made her on-air debut with the NBC Sports team in January 2021 for several days of competition in women’s downhill and Super-G events from Crans Montana, Switzerland. Over the course of her career, she won 82 World Cup races, which is the most by a woman and second-most all time. Participating in four Olympic Games (2002, 2006, 2010, 2018), Vonn amassed three Olympic medals, including gold in the downhill at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, where she became the first American woman to win Olympic downhill gold. 
    • STEVE KORNACKI: Kornacki, NBC News’ celebrated national political correspondent, reprises his NBC Olympics role after debuting in Tokyo. Kornacki has brought his election-style coverage to NBC Sports’ Football Night in Americato break down the NFL playoff picture, and has served as an insights analyst on NBC Sports’ Triple Crown horse racing coverage.

 

SPORTS DESK: NBC News’ Sam Brock, who returns for his second Olympic assignment, and Anne Thompson, making her fourth Olympic assignment, will serve as correspondents on the sports desk. 

REPORTERS: NBC Olympics’ reporters will cover various venues and locations throughout the Games, and will contribute to features on a variety of platforms. The reporters include: Tom Abbott, Naoko Funayama, Hailey Hunter, Lewis Johnson, Andrea Joyce, Todd Lewis, Randy Moss, Leila Rahimi, and Corey Robinson.

CONTRIBUTORS:  Andy Browne, the Editorial Director of Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and Jing Tsu, the John M. Schiff Professor of East Asian Studies & Comparative Literature at Yale University, will contribute to coverage of the Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock, as well as NBC’s first night of primetime coverage on Thursday, Feb. 3. Browne and Tsu, making their NBC Olympics debuts, will provide a broader context of what the U.S. audience is watching in the opening days of the Games.

HIGHLIGHTS:

ALPINE SKIING: Dan Hicks will serve as lead play-by-play for alpine skiing, marking his 13th Olympics overall with NBC Sports. Ted Ligety, one of U.S. Skiing’s most-decorated athletes and two-time Olympic gold medalist, makes his NBC Olympics debut as an analyst. Former U.S. Ski Team downhill racer Steve Porino serves as an analyst, his eighth assignment with NBC Olympics, while reporter Todd Lewis marks his third overall NBC Olympics assignment.

BIATHLON: Bill Doleman serves as the play-by-play commentator for biathlon coverage, after handling curling play-by-play at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. He will be joined by former U.S. Biathlon Team member Chad Salmela, who returns for his sixth Games as a biathlon and cross-country analyst. Tom Abbott will report from the course.

BIG AIR: Shane Bacon will serve as play-by-play commentator for big air events, alongside 2013 freestyle world ski champion Tom Wallisch and three-time Olympic medalist and 2002 halfpipe gold medalist Kelly Clark. Sam Brock will serve as the big air reporter.

BOBSLED/LUGE/SKELETON: Leigh Diffey reprises his role as bobsled/luge/skeleton play-by-play commentator, which marks his fifth overall NBC Olympics assignment after calling track & field in Tokyo. Lewis Johnson, working his 12th Olympic Games for NBC, will be the reporter for all three disciplines. Working as analysts alongside Diffey will be four-time Olympian Erin Hamlin (luge); former U.S. National Bobsled Team member John Morgan, a bobsled analyst for his 11th consecutive Winter Olympics, and 2010 Olympic bobsledder and former skeleton racer Bree Schaaf (skeleton and bobsled).

CROSS-COUNTRY: Steve Schlanger reprises his role as a play-by-play commentator for cross-country skiing, his sixth Olympics assignment. In addition to his work on biathlon, Chad Salmela will work as the cross-country analyst along with gold medalist Kikkan Randall, who makes her Olympic debut as an analyst. Naoko Funayama, in her second NBC Olympics assignment, is the reporter.

CURLING: Reprising their curling play-by-play roles are Jason Knapp in his sixth Olympic assignment and third consecutive Winter Olympics, Jim Kozimor in his sixth Olympic assignment, and Kenny Rice in his sixth Olympic assignment. Kevin Martin, who skipped Team Canada to gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, 2018 Olympic gold medalist Tyler George, and three-time national champion Jaime Sinclair will serve as analysts. Corey Robinson serves as the curling reporter for the first time in his second overall Olympic assignment.

FIGURE SKATING: Terry Gannon, working his sixth Olympics, will reprise his role as lead play-by-play commentator for Olympic figure skating alongside lead analysts Tara Lipinski, the 1998 Olympic gold medalist, and three-time U.S. figure skating champion Johnny Weir. Lipinski and Weir are working their fifth Olympic assignments together and third Winter Games on figure skating coverage. 2006 U.S. Olympic ice dance silver medalist Tanith White will serve as an analyst in her fifth overall Olympic assignment with NBC Sports, and Andrea Joyce, who returns for her 12th Olympic assignment with NBC (16th overall), will serve as a figure skating and short track speed skating reporter.

FREESTYLE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING: Trace Worthington returns for his fifth Winter Olympics assignment and will be the freestyle skiing play-by-play commentator. Worthington is joined by analyst Hannah Kearney, a two-time Olympic moguls medalist.

Todd Harris will return for his sixth consecutive Winter Games, serving as the play-by-play commentator for men’s and women’s snowboarding, which includes halfpipe, slopestyle, snowboard cross, and parallel giant slalom. U.S. Olympian and multi-time X Games medalist Todd Richards, 2013 freestyle world ski champion Tom Wallisch and two-time snow cross gold medalist Seth Wescott will serve as analysts. Tina Dixon, a four times X Games medalist, will serve as an analyst/reporter, her fifth NBC Olympics assignment.

Randy Moss, making his fifth Olympic assignment, and Hailey Hunter, making her debut with NBC Olympics, will serve as the freestyle skiing and snowboarding reporters.

HOCKEY: Kenny Albert, who has called hockey for every Olympic Winter Games since 2002, Brendan Burke, in his second Olympics assignment, John Walton, in his second Olympics assignment, and Chris Vosters, in his third Olympic assignment, will combine to provide play-by-play hockey commentary.

Hockey analysts include Brian Boucher, Anson Carter, Keith Jones, Monique Lamoureux-Morando, A.J. Mleczko, Dom Moore, Eddie Olczyk, Angela Ruggiero. Leila Rahimi makes her NBC Olympics debut as a reporter in Beijing.

SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING: Ted Robinson, at his 13th Olympics overall and 12th for NBC, will be the short track speed skating play-by-play commentator. Two-time Olympic medalist Katherine Adamek serves as analyst and, Andrea Joyce, in addition to figure skating, will serve as the reporter for short track speed skating.

SKI JUMPING: Paul Burmeister reprises his role as the ski jumping play-by-play commentator after making his Winter Olympics debut in 2018. Joining Burmeister are three-time Olympic medalist Johnny Spillane as analyst, and Naoko Funayama, who will report on ski jumping in addition to cross-country skiing.

SPEED SKATING: Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek returns for his second NBC Olympics assignment as a speed skating analyst alongside speed skating play-by-play commentator Bill Spaulding.

SPORT-BY-SPORT RUNDOWN:

ALPINE SKIING

Dan Hicks, Play by Play

Ted Ligety, Analyst

Steve Porino, Analyst

Todd Lewis, Reporter

 

BIATHLON

Bill Doleman, Play by Play

Chad Salmela, Analyst

Tom Abbott, Reporter

 

BOBSLED/LUGE/SKELETON

Leigh Diffey, Play by Play

Erin Hamlin, Luge Analyst

John Morgan, Bobsled Analyst

Bree Schaaf, Skeleton/Bobsled Analyst

Lewis Johnson, Reporter

 

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

Steve Schlanger, Play by Play

Chad Salmela, Analyst

Kikkan Randall, Analyst

Naoko Funayama, Reporter

 

CURLING

Jason Knapp, Play by Play

Jim Kozimor, Play by Play

Kenny Rice, Play by Play

Kevin Martin, Analyst

Tyler George, Analyst

Jamie Sinclair, Analyst
Corey Robinson, Reporter

 

FIGURE SKATING

Terry Gannon, Play by Play

Tara Lipinski, Analyst

Johnny Weir, Analyst

Tanith White, Analyst

Andrea Joyce, Reporter

 

FREESTYLE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING/BIG AIR

Shane Bacon, Play by Play (Big Air)

Todd Harris, Play by Play

Trace Worthington, Play by Play

Kelly Clark, Analyst

Hannah Kearney, Analyst

Todd Richards, Analyst

Tom Wallisch, Analyst

Seth Wescott, Analyst

Tina Dixon, Analyst/Reporter

Hailey Hunter, Reporter

Sam Brock, Reporter (Big Air)

Randy Moss, Reporter

 

HOCKEY

Kenny Albert, Play by Play

Brendan Burke, Play by Play

John Walton, Play by Play

Chris Vosters, Play by Play

Brian Boucher, Analyst

Anson Carter, Analyst

Keith Jones, Analyst

Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Analyst

AJ Mlezcko, Analyst

Dom Moore, analyst

Eddie Olczyk, Analyst

Angela Ruggiero, Analyst

Leila Rahimi, Reporter

 

SHORT TRACK

Ted Robinson, Play by Play

Katherine Adamek, Analyst

Andrea Joyce, Reporter

 

SKI JUMPING

Paul Burmeister, Play by Play

Johnny Spillane, Analyst

Naoko Funayama, Reporter

 

SPEED SKATING

Bill Spaulding, Play by Play

Joey Cheek, Analyst

 

HOSTS, CORRESPONDENTS, AND REPORTERS:

 

PRIMETIME HOST:

Mike Tirico, NBC

 

PRIME PLUS HOST:

Mike Tirico, NBC

Maria Taylor, NBC (Week 2 – following Super Bowl)

 

ON-SITE & PRIME PLUS HOST (middle weekend):

Craig Melvin, NBC

 

OPENING CEREMONY:

Savannah Guthrie, NBC

Mike Tirico, NBC

 

DAYTIME HOST:

Rebecca Lowe, NBC

 

USA NETWORK, CNBC AND PEACOCK HOSTS:

Ahmed Fareed, USA Network

Jimmy Roberts, USA Network

Lindsay Czarniak, USA Network

Jac Collinsworth, USA Network (following Super Bowl)

Carolyn Manno, CNBC

Kathryn Tappen (following Super Bowl)

Matt Iseman, Peacock

Jonny Moseley, Peacock

Adnan Virk Peacock

Brian Boitano, Peacock

Ashley Wagner, Peacock

Scott Hamilton, Peacock

 

CORRESPONDENTS:

Lindsey Vonn

Steve Kornacki

Sam Brock (Sports Desk)

Anne Thompson (Sports Desk)

 

CONTRIBUTORS:

Andy Browne

Jing Tsu

 

NBC SPORTS DIGITAL:

LaChina Robinson (Twitter)

Zora Stephenson (Twitter)

Laurie Hernandez (TikTok)

Jo Ling Kent (Twitter)

 

For a complete archive of 2022 Winter Olympics press releases, click here.

About NBC Olympics

NBCUniversal will provide coverage of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games from Feb. 2-20. The Opening Ceremony will be presented on Friday, Feb. 4, live in the morning and again in primetime on NBC and Peacock. Similar to recent Winter Games, NBC’s primetime Olympic coverage begins the night before the Opening Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 3. Coverage begins on Wednesday, Feb. 2, on USA Network and Peacock. NBCUniversal is presenting its 18th Olympic Games, 12th consecutive overall, and sixth straight Winter Games, all the most by any U.S. media company.

 

–NBC Olympics–

Exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu: Two National Hockey League Games Tuesday Night, Feb. 1

By

Closing out the first half of the National Hockey League (NHL) season and leading into the Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, ESPN+ and Hulu will stream two exclusive, nationwide NHL games Tuesday night, as well as 15 out-of-market games this week*.

The post Exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu: Two National Hockey League Games Tuesday Night, Feb. 1 appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

PETER KING SPEAKS TO MATTHEW STAFFORD AND DISCUSSES RAMS-BENGALS SUPER BOWL LVI MATCHUP IN THIS WEEK’S “FMIA” COLUMN

By

“I never thought that was ever gonna happen, not in a hundred years.” – Rams QB Matthew Stafford to King on advancing to the Super Bowl

“The Bengals might have drafted Max Scherzer with the first pick of the 2020 draft in Burrow, but they also might have picked Mariano Rivera with the 149th pick in 2021 in McPherson.” – King on the Bengals drafting QB Joe Burrow and K Evan McPherson

“It’s not the best job in the NFL, and the roster definitely has holes. But for McDaniels, I think it’s a great chance, and probably the best he’d ever have outside the New England cocoon.” – King on Josh McDaniels taking the Raiders’ head coaching job

NBC Sports Presents Super Bowl LVI on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, on Sunday, Feb. 13

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 31, 2022 – Peter King speaks to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford following their NFC Championship Game win and discusses the Rams-Bengals Super Bowl LVI matchup in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also speaks with Cincinnati kicker Evan McPherson following his game-winning field goal in overtime in the AFC Championship Game, interviews former Saints head coach Sean Payton, hands out his Championship Games awards, and more.

NBC Sports will present Super Bowl LVI (Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals) on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo on Sunday, Feb. 13.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk live at 7 a.m. ET every weekday, Safety Blitz, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, The Peter King Podcast, The Rich Eisen Show, Brother from Another, and The Dan Patrick Show. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

MATTHEW STAFFORD & THE RAMS

King on the Rams trading for QB Matthew Stafford: “The trade between the Lions and Rams, spawned when Stafford and Rams coach Sean McVay met (by chance, they both insist) at a resort while vacationing, happened quite literally a year ago (Sunday) night – the same night Stafford was digesting that he was finally going to play in the game he’d always dreamed of playing.”

Stafford to King on going to the Rams and advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time in his career: “It’s crazy. I mean, crazy. It’s a story that, to this day, I feel like a lot of people still can’t believe. Sometimes, still, I can’t believe it. And now this…I never thought that was ever gonna happen, not in a hundred years.”

King: “That’s the kind of Championship Sunday it was. Not in a hundred years. How about 100 days? Who could have envisioned a Bengals-Rams Super Bowl as the season neared the halfway point in late October? … It might take a few days for Midwesterners to digest this one: Matthew Stafford is going to the Super Bowl. His quarterbacking foe will be Cincinnati savior Joe Burrow, the quarterback who lost the Ohio State starting quarterback job to Dwayne Haskins less than four years ago.”

King on the Stafford trade: “There was so much on the line for the Rams here, and it started one year ago last night, when a Rams delegation (GM Les Snead, COO Kevin Demoff and VP/Football Administration Tony Pastoors) got on a Zoom call with a Lions delegation to work out details of a (Jared) Goff-for-Stafford trade…McVay and Stafford and partners saw each other at a Mexican resort, and the men started talking football, and the next thing they knew, they wanted to be football-wed.”

Demoff to King on trading Goff for Stafford: “I mean, it’s two weeks after the season, and it’s totally unexpected. We’re trading the quarterback who led us to the Super Bowl, the face of our franchise, the first big decision we made after our move to L.A. That night, it started the all-in narrative for us.”

King on the Rams’ roster construction: “The outside world sees trading second- and third-round picks for a declining Von Miller, and trading two ones and a three plus Goff, plus money thrown in, for Stafford, who’d never won a playoff game or a division title in 12 Detroit years, and thinks it’s the most live-for-today team in recent football history. It might be, but hear them out.”

King on the Rams’ win over the 49ers: “McVay did a good job figuring out how to win this game. He knew he’d have to put it in Stafford’s hands, and he was comfortable doing that…Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr., played great games, and the Rams’ decision to go get Beckham in November paid off beautifully here.”

Stafford on playing in the Super Bowl: “Sure, I’ve dreamed about this. I’ve loved football for a long time. Now it’s coming true – and now we’ve got a chance to go out there and win the Super Bowl. It’s a pretty unbelievable thing.”

CINCINNATI BENGALS

King on the Bengals’ turnaround to win the AFC Championship Game: “The Bengals last January finished a 4-11-1 season. Joe Burrow, the promising rookie quarterback, got hurt in late November, and the knee injury was so significant that it seemed unlikely he’d be ready to play by the 2021 season-opener. Zac Taylor, the head coach, was 6-25-1 in two seasons, depths not reached by a Bengal coach since David Shula.”

King on Bengals kicker Evan McPherson’s game-winning kick in overtime: “The 31-yard perfecto with 9:22 left in overtime lifted Cincinnati to the win. It also did not surprise McPherson in the least. The Bengals might have drafted Max Scherzer with the first pick of the 2020 draft in Burrow, but they also might have picked Mariano Rivera with the 149th pick in 2021 in McPherson. For the second straight weekend, he kicked the game-winner on the last play of the game.”

McPherson to King after kicking the game-winner: “Being a kicker is like being a sniper. You got one shot.”

King on the Bengals’ roster: “There were lots of heroes in this game for Cincinnati. What had to be fun for (Duke) Tobin and the scouts and coaches who put this group together is that so many of the players not named Burrow were critical in sending Cincinnati to the Super Bowl.”

Bengals DT B.J. Hill to King on his second-half interception and advancing to the Super Bowl: “We’re taught to put our hands up on a play like that. I wasn’t shocked I came down with [it]… Nobody gave us a chance. When we win, there’s always some reason why. We’re a good team, that’s why. And we’re going to the Super Bowl.”

King on the Chiefs failing to score before halftime: “(Andy) Reid could have kicked the field goal and gotten three points. But if you’re Reid, and you know the chances are better than 50-50 that Mahomes can get a yard at the Bengals’ 1-yard line, it’s totally understandable he went for it. Failure makes it seem obvious the coach should have made the other call. That’s not the way football works. Sometimes you make the right call and it fails. That’s coaching.”

SEAN PAYTON

King: “Sean Payton, 58, left the Saints last week after being their coach and north star since 2006. Remember early 2006? That’s when the Saints were endangered species in New Orleans…It’s normal when a coach or player leaves the field for TV that we wonder how frank he’ll be on TV. So I asked Payton on Saturday if he’d address some of the hot-button issues of the day in the NFL.”

Payton on NFL overtime format: “We’ve hit the threshold. There has to be some change. At least for the postseason, each team should get a possession, and if it’s tied after those two possessions, the game continues, and it’s sudden death starting with the third possession.”

Payton on which young QB he’d choose to start a franchise with: “We just saw them duel. Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes. A tie. When everything isn’t perfect, and there are many times in a game when things aren’t perfect, they’re the best two in the game at the off-schedule throws…I like Joe Burrow. I love Joe Burrow. I just trust the other guys to run it better. But that’s like, I like vanilla and pistachio, you like butter pecan. All good choices.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on Tom Brady: “The denials Saturday were too soft, too tentative, too non-denial. If Jeff Darlington and Adam Schefter were over-reaching with their report Saturday that Tom Brady was retiring after 22 years atop the football mountain, we’d have heard more insistent pushback. It’s very likely a matter of time before Brady officially retires.’”

King on Brady’s potential decision: “I believe it’s about a few things. At 44, Brady has already accomplished more than any player in the 102-year history of the NFL, and with cap and roster issues going forward, and with the Tampa futures of Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski both in doubt, 2022 could be a frustrating year for a Tampa Bay quarterback.”

King on Josh McDaniels taking the Raiders head coaching job: “I doubt there’d ever be a better job for McDaniels. He has his own hand-picked personnel guy, Dave Ziegler. He has a quarterback who can win in the NFL, Derek Carr. So he’s got a flighty owner. The one thing you don’t hear about Mark Davis is he’s a meddler…It’s not the best job in the NFL, and the roster definitely has holes. But for McDaniels, I think it’s a great chance, and probably the best he’d ever have outside the New England cocoon.”

King on the NFL head coaching cycle: “Four coaches hired this month, all Caucasian. Five jobs left. There is one Black coach in the league, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, and three of color, total. The league, and its owners, will deserve a mountain of criticism if the trend continues in the final five jobs.”

King on the Giants and new GM Joe Schoen: “Schoen is smart – a bad team like the Giants needs to rip the cap band-aid off quickly so 2023 can be bright. I also think Schoen would be smart to look to deal one of their two high first-round picks (fifth or seventh overall) for future draft capital, so they could be in a pick-rich position to pick a quarterback if they’d be in the market for one in 2023.”

KING’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES AWARDS

Offensive Players of the Week: Tee Higgins, Cincinnati, & Cooper Kupp, L.A. Rams.

King on Higgins: “All season, the Cincinnati passing game has revolved around rookie deep threat Ja’Marr Chase, and who could blame the Bengals? Chase is a phenom. But on a day when Kansas City physically handled Chase, it was Higgins who showed up in some of the biggest moments.”

Defensive Player of the Week: B.J. Hill, Cincinnati.

King: “This could have been decisive interceptor Vonn Bell or linemen Sam Hubbard or Trey Hendrickson. All were impact players in the huge upset of Kansas City. But Hill has caught my eye on this defense all season, and his athletic interception of Patrick Mahomes with 17 minutes left in the game and the Bengals trailing 21-13 was the biggest tide-turner all afternoon.”

Special Teams Player of the Week: Evan McPherson, Cincinnati.

King: “Three weeks, three playoff games, three games of four field goals in each…with zero misses. McPherson won his second straight game with a field goal on the last play, a 31-yarder in Kansas City, as the Bengals earned their first trip to the Super Bowl in 33 years, 27-24, at Arrowhead Stadium. Amazing performance by a rookie.”

Coach of the Week: Lou Anarumo, Cincinnati.

King: “On Saturday, Giants GM Joe Schoen told me how impressed he was with Anarumo when the Giants interviewed him for their head-coaching job. I bet Andy Reid was impressed with Anarumo on Sunday…Heck of a game against a team that had scored 42 in each of its first two playoff games this month.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

    • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio and Mike Golic (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams live on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
    • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
    • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

Australian Open Men’s Championship Live Late Tonight on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+

By

The Australian Open Men’s Championship will be decided late tonight live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ when No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia meets Spainiard No. 6 Rafael Nadal, seeking to break the tie and take the lead in all-time Majors won by a man with 21, at 3:30 a.m. ET.  

The post Australian Open Men’s Championship Live Late Tonight on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

Australian Open Women’s Championship Live Late Tonight on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+

By

The Australian Open Women’s Championship will be decided late tonight live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ when top-seeded and local favorite Ash Barty faces the hard-hitting American, No. 27 Danielle Collins at 3:30 a.m. ET.

The post Australian Open Women’s Championship Live Late Tonight on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

NBCUNIVERSAL ANNOUNCES RECORD PROGRAMMING FOR 2022 PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES

By

  • 230+ Hours of Winter Paralympic Programming Features Record 120 Hours of Television Coverage
  • First-Ever Paralympic Winter Games Primetime Coverage on NBC & Record Paralympic Broadcast TV Coverage
  • Peacock to Live Stream All NBCUniversal Coverage of Paralympic Winter Games
  • Live Coverage of Opening and Closing Ceremonies on USA Network
  • NBCOlympics.com and NBC Sports App to Provide Live Comprehensive Streaming Coverage via Authentication

  • Extensive Athlete Profiles and Interviews Featured Across Linear, Digital and Social Media Platforms
  • Toyota Returns as Presenting Sponsor of NBCU’s Paralympic Coverage; Paralympic Advertiser Roster Grows from 5 to 30+

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 28, 2022 – Beginning five weeks from today, NBCUniversal will present 230+ hours of Paralympic Winter Games programming, including a record 120 hours of television coverage, for the 2022 Paralympics from Beijing, China, taking place March 4-13, across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. In addition to record programming, the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics will also feature unprecedented promotion and advertising support.

In its most ambitious effort ever for a Winter Paralympics, NBCU’s coverage, which will once again be presented by Toyota, will feature a record 120 hours of television coverage; seven total hours on the NBC broadcast network, including three in primetime, a first for a Winter Paralympics; similar to the Beijing Olympics, coverage of all events and competition on Peacock; live coverage of the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony on USA Network; and comprehensive live streaming coverage on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app via authentication, including all television coverage as well as exclusive coverage of alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, sled hockey, snowboarding, and wheelchair curling.

In addition to being the presenting sponsor of NBCUniversal’s Paralympic Games coverage for the third consecutive Games, Toyota will be the exclusive auto advertiser across all linear and digital coverage of the Beijing Winter Paralympics. Also supporting the athletes of Team USA will be 30+ companies, many of whom are advertising in the Paralympics for the very first time.

Similar to the Tokyo Paralympics, primetime broadcasts on NBC will feature the top stories and moments of the Paralympics with a special focus on the athletes of Team USA. The first primetime broadcast will set the stage for the Games, with the following broadcasts featuring NBC Sports’ award-winning storytellers taking viewers inside the Winter Paralympics like never before with athlete profiles, interviews and competition footage.

Programming highlights also include:

  • All of NBCUniversal’s 2022 Paralympic Winter Games coverage, totaling more than 230 hours, will stream live on Peacock. The service’s premium tier will serve as the streaming home of the Winter Paralympics. Click here to learn more and sign up.
  • On cable, USA Network and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will present daily 2022 Paralympic Winter Games coverage throughout the day, including in primetime (excluding Sunday, March 13). USA Network, which debuts as the cable home of the Winter Paralympics with more than 70 hours, will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, March 4, and live coverage of the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, March 13.
  • com and the NBC Sports app will live stream all of NBCUniversal’s Winter Paralympics coverage across desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs for authenticated users.
  • Accessibility features for all television coverage include closed captioning (CC) and audio description (AD) to assist viewers in experiencing the accomplishments and stories of the Paralympic athletes. Digital content accessibility features include keyboard navigation, color contrast and support for screen readers.
  • Additional programming details will be announced at a later date.

NBCUniversal’s extensive promotion leading up to the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games has been highlighted by:

  • “Get to Know Team USA” takeovers of NBC Olympics and On Her Turf social platforms, featuring five-time Paralympian and 10-time Paralympic medalist Oksana Masters (cross-country skiing, biathlon), Danielle ‘Dani’ Aravich (Nordic skiing), and 2018 Paralympian Thomas Walsh (alpine skiing). Walsh was part of a special moment with four-time Olympian Steven Nyman during a Birds of Prey telecast in December when they exchanged racing bibs.
  • Athlete interviews across NBC affiliate stations, including with two-time Paralympic gold medalist Jen Lee (sled hockey) and 2018 Paralympic gold medalist Andrew Kurka (alpine skiing).
  • Appearance on NBC News’ TODAY last week by two-time Paralympic medalist Mike Schultz (snowboarding) about his athletic journey and training ahead of the Beijing Winter Paralympics.

Additional promotion for the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games will occur during NBCUniversal’s coverage of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and in the weeks between the Olympics and Paralympics.

Team USA is expected to feature a number of medal contenders, including five-time Paralympian and 10-time Paralympic medalist Oksana Masters (cross-country skiing, biathlon); two-time Paralympic medalist, including a gold, Andrew Kurka (alpine skiing); two-time Paralympian and three-time Paralympic gold medalist Kendall Gretsch (cross-country skiing, biathlon); 2018 Paralympian Thomas Walsh (alpine skiing); and two-time Paralympic medalist, including a gold, Mike Schultz (snowboarding). The U.S. is also expected to challenge for medals in team sports and returns many members of the 2018 gold medal-winning sled hockey team, including Rico Roman, Josh Pauls, and Jen Lee.

NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Tokyo Paralympics just four months ago generated numerous viewership milestones, including the two most-watched Paralympic Games telecasts on record in the U.S. Coverage collectively reached 14.1 million viewers, setting a new Paralympics Games record and marking an increase of 81% vs. the Rio Paralympics in 2016 (7.8 million). Click here for details.

“Just off the massive success of the Tokyo Paralympics, we are committed to growing our Paralympics coverage across our platforms and bringing the extraordinary achievements of Para Winter Games athletes to the American audience,” said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. “In partnership with Toyota and our record roster of 30-plus advertisers, the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games will mark new heights in our coverage and storytelling.”

“We’re ecstatic to see NBC and Toyota’s continued commitment to bringing great Team USA performances and the excitement of the Paralympic Games into American homes,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “Showcasing the stories of our winter Paralympic athletes living out their dreams is integral to continuing momentum to our shared goal of increasing Para awareness and inclusion.”

“This is a game-changer for winter Paralympic sports in America,” said 10-time Paralympic medalist Oksana Masters. “As an athlete and advocate for the Paralympic Movement, the more we can have partners like NBC and Toyota bring our Movement to the forefront of society, the more we showcase to the next generation of athletes that there’s a place to live out their dreams.”

“We are thrilled to present the Paralympic Winter Games in just a few short weeks,” said Alexa Pritting, coordinating producer for NBCU’s Paralympic coverage. “Whether it’s on the ice or snow, we look forward to showcasing the athletes and telling their compelling stories as they compete on the world’s biggest stage.”

“It’s our pleasure to partner with NBCUniversal for the third consecutive Paralympic Games to bring even more coverage to American viewers,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president, Toyota Marketing, Toyota Motor North America. “There is no better global event for Toyota to reinforce our passionate belief that everyone has the right to freedom of movement in an inclusive society. It’s exciting to see support for the Paralympic Movement grow and we can’t wait for viewers to see that when a person is free to move, anything is possible.”

–WINTER PARALYMPICS–

ESPN Deportes to Exclusively Televise the 2022 Caribbean Series

By

ESPN Deportes will exclusively televise the 2022 Caribbean Series from Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, starting Friday, Jan. 28, through Feb. 3rd.  Live coverage begins with a tripleheader featuring Puerto Rico vs. Panamá (9 a.m. ET), followed by Colombia vs Venezuela (2 p.m. ET).  At 7 p.m. ET, host country and reigning champion, the Dominican Republic, opens against México.

The post ESPN Deportes to Exclusively Televise the 2022 Caribbean Series appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..